Five Little Ducks
by Meicdon13
Summary: [COMPLETE, character death] One by one, they're disappearing without a trace. And being found the next day horribly mutilated. There's nothing to help the others figure out who's behind it until there's no one left at all.
1. Gojyo

**Disclaimer : **I highly doubt that I can fool any of you into thinking that I own _Saiyuki_.

**Note : **This fic was born when I realized how morbid some nursery rhymes/stories are. Think about it very well. The nursery rhyme I used for this was _Five Little Ducks_. They disappear one by one without any reason. Tell me that's not morbid.

Bet you can't guess who's guilty XD

* * *

**FIVE LITTLE DUCKS**

**CHAPTER ONE: GOJYO**

_Five little ducks went swimming one day  
__Over the hills and over the bay_

They had escaped from yet another attack from Gyokumen Koushou's assassins. The Sanzo-ikkou easily won the encounter and killed most of the youkai. However, there were some who were lucky enough to escape.

They should have been feeling lighthearted and happy as they rode Hakuryuu into the next town but there was tension in the air. They had seen a human along with the attackers; his hair as black as midnight and his eyes the color of coals.

For the most part, he had stayed away from the fight, choosing to watch from the sidelines and holding his bunny rabbit. Though when the fighting had approached his area, he took out a ring from his lab coat pocket and put it on. The large purple-black stone set in it flashed and made Hakuryuu dizzy for a while but other than that, it had no effect on the Sanzo-ikkou whatsoever.

They stopped for the night at the nearest inn and managed to book four rooms. Four doors were locked and four windows were left open to let in the cold night air since the day had been nothing but sweltering heat.

Gojyo lay on his bed, unable to sleep. It was almost midnight and he wanted his much deserved rest. Angry that it simply wouldn't come to him, he rolled over and buried his face in his pillow.

_**xxx**_

The next morning, Hakkai went up the stairs to knock on Gojyo's door and wake him up for breakfast. Sanzo was already getting irritated at the delay and was near his boiling point. When there was no answer to the insistent knocking, Hakkai grew worried.

The healer ran back downstairs to fetch Sanzo and Goku. When their shouting and pounding went unnoticed, Hakkai handed Hakuryuu to the itan and blasted down the door using his chi.

Gojyo lay facedown on his bed, hair splayed across the pillow. One arm dangled off the edge of the bed and they would have thought that the redhead was simply asleep if it weren't for two things; the fact that he was missing a finger and the blood dripping from the bedspread to the floor.

_**xxx**_

**Name : **Sha Gojyo  
**Race : **hanyou  
**Age : **22  
**Height : **184 cm  
**Weight : **75 kg  
**Description of injuries : **throat was ripped out; jugular torn resulting in massive blood loss. Claw marks on shoulders and chest. Half of the face was burnt. Index finger on the left hand apparently bitten off.

_**xxx**_

There didn't seem to be any forced entry in the room. The remaining members of the ikkou couldn't find anything to at least hint at whoever was responsible for the hanyou's death.

There would be no revenge on the culprit since they had no idea who it was. All they could do was to bury the body, chant a sutra for the dead, and continue on their journey to the west.

_Mother duck called, "Quack, quack, quack."  
__But only four little ducks came back_


	2. Goku

I just love the reactions to the first chap XD Hope that this chapter is as weird as the first one. (Told you that nursery rhymes are morbid.)

Come on people, try to guess who's behind the killings! First person to guess right gets a prize!

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO: GOKU**

_Four little ducks went swimming one day  
Over the hills and over the bay_

Gojyo's death hung heavily in their minds. Goku had wanted to stay and find out who was responsible for killing the hanyou but Sanzo had been adamant about leaving. The idiot got himself killed; therefore he was weak and would have died sooner or later during their fights against assassins.

Hakkai had been quiet throughout the remainder of their journey. When he wasn't driving, buying supplies, cooking, or preventing Sanzo from killing Goku, he simply kept to himself and stroked the soft down on Hakuryuu's head.

There had been fewer attacks as they got closer to Tenjiku but the demons that attacked them were much stronger, more competent, and definitely more intelligent. The ikkou suffered more injuries and blows; though not necessarily the physical kind.

The fact that a member of their group could be killed affected them all. Even though they didn't want to admit it, they saw their companions as immortals. Maybe not gods, but something close to them.

Night had fallen and they were still only halfway into the forest. Another day's travel loomed before them, making the prospect of traveling through the night unpleasant.

Because of the increased number of attacks, they had started taking turns at keeping watch at night. They had also begun to sleep in close proximity with one another, always booking one room instead of four as the once did. Sometimes they resorted to sleeping on one bed.

It was Goku's turn to keep watch this time. His eyes kept sliding shut every few minutes but the slightest sound was able to snap him back into hyperawareness. After a few hours, he walked a short distance into the forest to take a leak.

_**xxx**_

Hakkai and Sanzo awoke only to find out that Goku wasn't in his spot between them. Panic immediately seized them and they went off to look for the missing itan. Only a few feet into the forest, they found his dead body lying there face-up.

Hakkai's breath caught in his throat and he dimly registered Sanzo squeezing his eyes shut and take a deep breath. The ground was stained a dark maroon, the color of dried blood.

_**xxx**_

**Name : **Son Goku  
**Race : **itan  
**Age : **500+  
**Height : **162 cm  
**Weight : **51 kg  
**Description of injuries : **narrow hole through chest, passing through left lung causing it to collapse. Deep scratch marks on chest and hands. Bite marks on left side of the neck.

_**xxx**_

Another dead comrade, another burial. There were still no clues as to who was killing them, picking them off one by one. Silent tears of rage coursed down Hakkai's cheeks and Sanzo had become even colder and more remote.

Sanzo chanted another sutra for the dead, his voice flat and lifeless. They climbed into Hakuryuu with the distinct feeling that the jeep was too empty.

_Mother duck called, "Quack, quack, quack!"  
But only three little ducks came back_


	3. Hakkai

There have been some guesses made about the killer but I'm not telling who it is yet! Keep guessing, people! It's fun! The first person to get it right gets a prize. Since the only thing that I can give you guys is a fanfic or a drawing, you get to pick which one you want. But you can only ask for fanfics from an anime I know and don't ask for a fanart, I suck at drawing anime characters. You can ask for a bishie though or something XD

The fic is almost done! Two more chapters before an epilogue. Or maybe I'll blend the epilogue with the last chap.

Since this fic has been successful, I'm planning on another nursery rhyme/song fafic. I've got something in mind already though suggestions for a nursery rhyme/song would be greatly appreciated.

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE: HAKKAI**

_Three little ducks went swimming one day  
__Over the hill and over the bay_

With only two of them left—three if they counted Hakuryuu—Sanzo and Hakkai were slowly becoming more paranoid. They barely slept or spoke. They were constantly on their guard. Between them, they managed to kill an average of ten forest creatures every day, thinking that it was an assassin or a youkai.

Their eyes had gone hollow, only lighting up with panic or a sudden adrenaline rush when they were on the look out for possible attempts at their lives. They lived in constant fear; movements jerky and nervous.

There were almost no attacks by youkai anymore. In the three weeks since Goku's death, there had been only two youkai attacks and they were obviously not Gyokumen Koushou's assassins; probably local gangster groups after the reward money.

They stayed up all night in small inn rooms where the chances of a surprise attack were next to none. They sat together on one bed near enough to deal each other death blows should either one of them prove to be the killer.

Their trust in one another was—at best—strained. They had no one else to rely on but one another and though they might harbor suspicions, there was actually nothing else to do except try and believe in each other.

When one had to leave to use the bathroom, Hakuryuu would accompany him, ready to fly back to the other one for help if the one he was with was attacked. It was a system that they had worked out after a few days.

It was one rainy night in a small town when Hakkai excused himself to go to the bathroom.

_**xxx**_

Sanzo immediately leaped towards the door when he heard the little white dragon making a commotion outside. He followed Hakuryuu down the hall, running while thumbing back the safety on his shoureiju.

His heart was pounding in his chest. Only a few minutes had elapsed since the healer went out of the room; there was a chance that Hakkai was still alive and fighting whoever was responsible for picking them off one by one.

When he saw the body in the hallway with a crowd gathered around it, he knew it was too late.

_**xxx**_

**Name : **Cho Hakkai  
**Race : **human turned youkai  
**Age : **22  
**Height : **181 cm  
**Weight : **69 kg  
**Description of injuries : **cause of death was strangulation. Minor scratches on hands and fingers.

_**xxx**_

There really was nothing for him to do. After chanting a sutra for the dead—again—he paid the inn owner and left, unmindful of the storm he was walking in. Hakuryuu perched on his shoulder, wings spread above him in an effort to shield him from the rain.

Sanzo walked on, the only thing in his mind to finish the journey so that his friends' deaths wouldn't be a waste.

_Mother duck called, "Quack, quack, quack!"  
__But only two little ducks came back_


	4. Sanzo

I am VERY sorry about the long disappearance! My computer time was severely limited by my dad (evil asshole but I still love him) and I've entered a fanfic writing contest so I've been really working on my entry. After this is the final fifth chapter where the killer will be revealed (gasp! Oh noes!)

Anyway, without further ado, here is the fourth chapter.

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR: SANZO**

_Two little ducks went swimming one day  
__Over the hill and over the bay_

Sanzo sat quietly on the rock beside the fire. Hakuryuu had stayed with him even after Hakkai's death. The dragon had also reverted to his jeep form to help Sanzo continue his journey West. Though the blond had no idea how to drive, the dragon could easily steer himself and all Sanzo had to do was point out which direction to go.

The monk watched as the fire slowly died, not even reaching for the pile of wood beside his spot to try and revive it. Hakuryuu lay across his shoulders, much in the same way as he used to lie across Hakkai's. Though it was already late, Sanzo refused to sleep, remembering that all of the deaths had occurred during the night or early morning.

He barely saw any demons nowadays. Their auras were stronger the nearer he got to his destination but he only caught glimpses of them from afar before they seemed to disappear. Some days, Sanzo felt as if he were losing his mind.

Hakuryuu made a soft 'kyuu'-ing noise before nuzzling the monk's cheek affectionately. During earlier, normal times, the blond would have irately batted away the dragon but now, Hakuryuu was his only companion left. He didn't want to remove his only link with his dead friends.

Sanzo absentmindedly began to stroke Hakuryuu's neck when the dragon suddenly took flight. The blond didn't mind; hakuryuu often went hunting at night. Though Sanzo wished that the dragon wouldn't be gone for long.

_**xxx**_

Hakuryuu returned from his hunt, a small lizard in his mouth. The dragon was quite pleased with himself; he had already eaten a number of the creatures and had saved the fattest one to share with Sanzo, his new master.

When he approached the clearing where they had set up camp, the metallic scent of blood reached Hakuryuu's sensitive nose. Dropping the small lizard, he flew towards the body lying beside the small sunken pit where the ashes of the campfire were.

_**xxx**_

**Name : **Genjo Sanzo  
**Race : **human  
**Age : **23  
**Height : **177 cm  
**Weight : **64 kg  
**Description of injuries : **both eyeballs apparently clawed out of sockets. Deep scratches down cheeks. Ears severely bitten. Chest shows indications of being crushed from a strong impact.

_**xxx**_

Not knowing what to do, Hakuryuu nuzzled the dead body and flew off to find shelter in the forest. The dragon was not sure what he should do next; he was not accustomed to having no master.

As the rain began to pour, Hakuryuu took shelter in the branches of a large tree.

_Mother duck called, "Quack, quack, quack!"  
__But only one little duck came back_


	5. Hakuryuu

Well, this is it. The last chapter of my morbid nursery rhyme story. Thank you all for reading it and I hope you enjoyed. I'm thinking of writing another one and I hope to see you guys there as well.

We get to find out who the murdering bastard is in this chap (Oh the suspense!) and see what will happen to poor little Hakuryuu now that he's all alone. Once again, thank you for reading and enjoy the final installment!

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE: HAKURYUU**

_One little duck went swimming one day  
__Over the hill and over the bay_

The next day, Hakuryuu woke up and went off to hunt for breakfast. Since he no longer had a master, he began to revert back to his feral, baser nature. Though immensely grateful for the love and care he had received from the Sanzo-ikkou, he felt no need to continue the journey West. After all, he actually didn't know what they were doing, he simply followed his master.

Suddenly, a net appeared in front of him, ensnaring his wings and causing him to fall to the ground. Hakuryuu tried to burn the net but a firm hand kept his snout shut. Before the dragon could try to transform into a jeep and free himself, another hand holding a syringe injected a tranquilizer into his body, quickly knocking him out.

_**xxx**_

Nii Jenyi looked at the small white dragon inside the net. His assistant had captured it easily and it was now under observation.

The scientist was quite proud of his new invention; a small stone set into a ring that could generate a variation of the Minus Wave. With it, he could control the minds of lesser creatures and make them do as he wished.

Controlling the dragon has been very easy. Though the initial resistance has been a surprise, another pulse from the ring quickly destroyed any semblance of rebellion and Nii had ordered the murder of the hanyou.

Adding to the scientist's immense enjoyment was the paranoia that slowly took over the survivors. He could see the Sanzo-ikkou slowly slipping into insanity, enjoyed the mental degradation that his little experiment caused.

Nii had found it amusing to find different ways to kill the members of the ikkou; ripping out the hanyou's jugular, burning a hole through the itan's chest, strangling the healer, crushing the monk beneath the dragon's jeep form…

After putting on thick protective gloves, Nii reached into the net and placed the small white dragon into a cage, waiting until it was sufficiently conscious before trying to bring out its feral side again with the ring.

With a small smile, the scientist reached for his bunny rabbit and sat down in front of his computer to enter the newly acquired data.

_Mother duck called "Quack, quack, quack!"  
__But no more little ducks came back_


End file.
